September 26, 2013

On the heels of a very successful 2013, Clinton Global Initiatives meetings in New York City, Operation HOPE and the City of Atlanta announce its Annual Meeting for financial inclusion and empowerment of the poor in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announces the City of Atlanta as an official partner of and for the HOPE Global Financial Dignity Summit 2013, scheduled for November 13th and 14th, 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia.

January 28, 2013

Operation HOPE is "the private banker to the working poor, the underclass, and the struggling middle-class," and the impact of our work can be felt on-the-ground, everywhere we operate. Our mission is 'silver rights,' or making free enterprise and capitalism work for all. Financial literacy is the tool, financial dignity is the goal and financial inclusion is the way.

2012 marked new heights for HOPE's silver rights movement as it continued to reach out and empower underserved populations in new and innovative ways. HOPE divisions currently serving the community include:

• Banking on Our Future, focused on keeping the most at-risk youth from repeating the cycles of poverty and despair that has trapped so many in their families and communities by teaching them basic financial literacy, or what we call "the global language of money."

• HOPE Coalition America, which is the national partner with FEMA around emergency financial disaster preparedness, response and recovery, or the "economic Red Cross" for the nation. HCA responded to, and served, more than 200,000 survivors following Hurricane Katrina, and we are responding to Hurricane Sandy now.

• HOPE Government Relations & Public Policy, and HOPE Forums, which both advance responsible public policy and help to shape, engaged public opinion. The recent HOPE Global Financial Dignity Summitfeaturing U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, with more than 1,500 delegates from 30 countries, covered by 50 major media outlets, is but one example of our focus here.

January 05, 2013

It is
with great honor and personal privilege that I take a moment to salute one of
my personal heroes in life. Mr. Steve Bartlett.

Steve is
the former mayor of Dallas, Texas, the former US Congressman (two terms) from
Texas, and most recently, the CEO of the prestigious FINANCIAL SERVICES
ROUNDTABLE, based in Washington, DC.

Steve is
best known for his fierce, professional, sophisticated and effective
representation of the 100 largest financial companies in America, in
Washington, DC and respect to their public policy positions, amongst policy
makers. I know a different Steve Bartlett.

The man I
know, on a more personal level, happens to be very spiritual and a believer, a
committed social advocate, even donating his time on mission work in Africa
when not working in Washington, DC. I know a man who would hang up one
minute from a US congressman, and pick up the phone in the next, speaking with
me about silver rights, and grassroots community change.

The man I
know supported an effort for the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE to raise $5 million to support our new HOPE Financial Dignity Center Atlanta, at Ebenezer Church (Dr. King's church, now pastored by friend Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock), and then led that said effort himself, raising $4 million of the $5 million needed with personal phone calls.*

December 12, 2012

Too many of us would either flunk or barely pass a grading of our personal financial literacy. Many of Atlanta’s business leaders are aware of the problem and support various efforts to strengthen the region’s consumer literacy rates and put folks in control of their money and lives. Today, SunTrust CEO Jenner Wood writes about the commitment by leaders across Georgia to educate consumers. I highlight the HOPE Financial Dignity Center located at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.

A mission for ‘Silver Rights’

By Rick Badie

On Nov. 14, hundreds of people gathered at the Operation HOPE Financial Dignity Center to celebrate the opening of the Atlanta complex. The nonprofit’s work to advance financial literacy and economic empowerment, though, had begun long before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. More than 1,200 people had already participated in workshops and services at various locales.

The center’s location — the anchor tenant of the Martin Luther King Sr. Community Resources Complex, next to Ebenezer Baptist Church — holds significance for James “Jay” Bailey, CEO of Operation HOPE in Atlanta.

“HOPE is more than humbled by the opportunity to continue the work that (Martin Luther King Jr.) started with the Poor People’s Campaign,” he said via e-mail. “I can think of no better place than on the hallowed ground of the King Center campus, in the shadow of Ebenezer Baptist Church and across the street from Dr. King’s final resting place, to carry out our mission of ‘Silver Rights.’”

Operation Hope was founded shortly after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Its mission: To serve poor and underserved communities, provide better access to financial services, teach people how to manage money, make wise choices and tap into the free market system. The California-based nonprofit operates in South Africa, Haiti and dozens of U.S. cities that include Atlanta, according to its website, www.operationhope.org.

The HOPE Financial Dignity Center at Ebenezer offers two personal finance programs. A credit and money management workshop teaches participants how to plan and structure a budget. It also addresses credit — how to leverage it. The second personal finance program, “700 Credit Score Communities,” is an ongoing workshop that deals with additional elements of personal finance, but in group settings.

“When you transform a neighborhood to become a 700-credit score community, title lenders, payday lenders and rent-to-own stores become credit unions and community banks,” said John Hope Bryant, founder and HOPE CEO. “And liquor stores are transformed into convenient stores and grocery markets.”

December 07, 2012

Dr. Bernice A. King provides keynote remarks at the closing session of the HOPE Global Financial Dignity Summit on November 15, 2012, with an introduction by HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant. She is brilliant.

As we
conclude the year of our 20th anniversary, I’m honored to share with you some
recent highlights for the organization.

The HOPE
Global Financial Dignity Summit on November 14-15, 2012, in the city of Atlanta
was a resounding success. The insights, passion and active engagement of the
more than 1,500 delegates, 100 speakers and coverage from over 50 media outlets
worldwide over the 2-day summit, truly made it a historic event.

I recently
co-authored a special Op-Ed on the future of housing finance with Robert
Gnaizda for the American Banker entitled “How to End the Homeownership
Crisis”. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks from our
2012 Global Financial Dignity Summit on November 15th, we believe, aligns well with many of the values articulated by Mr. Gnaizda and myself.

Lastly,
as you know, Operation HOPE is dedicated to the financial preparedness, dignity
and inclusion of all Americans. Right now hundreds of thousands of
our families, friends and neighbors’ lives have been devastated by Hurricane
Sandy. Once again, through HOPE’s emergency financial and economic
preparedness, response and recovery disaster division - HOPE Coalition America
(HCA) - the only financial emergency preparedness and recovery service in the
country and proud national partner with FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), and Citizen Corps, is responding by offering help to
individuals and small businesses whose lives have been turned upside-down.

If you
know someone that needs our services, please visit our website www.operationhope.org to
locate an office or service offering near them.

ATLANTA, Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders from around the globe gathered inAtlanta last week for Operation HOPE's Global Financial Dignity Summit to discuss financial dignity and literacy issues and find solutions for the economic problems faced by underserved communities around the world. The Summit, which was held November 14-15, included a community bus tour, the grand opening of HOPE Financial Dignity Center at Ebenezer, and a Global Dignity Forum.

The Summit's theme of Community, Character and Responsible Capitalism offered a variety of programming suited for seeking a better understanding of financial literacy and dignity solutions. The first day of the Summit, Nov. 14, began with a community bus tour showcasing Atlanta's economic transformation. Atlanta's business, government, and faith leaders were joined by Summit participants as they traveled through diverse neighborhoods. Areas of opportunity in the city were highlighted for their potential economic growth.